UB has reported 82 active on-campus cases of COVID-19 since Feb. 12, according to the university's COVID-19 dashboard.
The university tallies cases in two-week increments. The current two-week reporting period runs from Feb. 12-Feb. 26. The previous two-week period ran from Jan. 30-Feb. 12. UB registered 71 positive cases before resetting for the new period.
The university has 118 students currently in on-campus isolation or quarantine and one student from a restricted state in precautionary quarantine. UB administered 8,339 tests from Feb. 6-Feb. 12, the latest available one-week period, and had 61 positive results, for a 0.73% positive test rate.
On Feb. 19, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that colleges and universities that test 25% of total students, faculty and staff would be required to transition to fully-remote learning only if the positivity rate exceeds 5%.
This is a change from Sept. 14, when SUNY released a memorandum to clarify the threshold for a temporary suspension of in-person learning: “The New York State threshold for transitioning to fully-remote learning is 100 positive tests in a set, two-week period. At the end of the two week period, the count of positive cases toward the 100-case threshold will reset to zero, per state mandate.”
UB is required to test all students, faculty and staff who live on campus and/or plan to be on campus regularly, according to guidance from SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras on Jan. 19. This testing does not apply to individuals who have had a positive PCR test within the last 90 days.
Testing for faculty and staff began the week of Feb. 1, while testing for students began the week of Feb. 8, according to a UBNow story.
Last update: Feb. 21, 6:50 p.m.
Justin Weiss is the managing editor and can be reached at justin.weiss@ubspectrum.com
Justin Weiss is The Spectrum's managing editor. In his free time, he can be found hiking, playing baseball or throwing things at his TV when his sports teams aren't winning. His words have appeared in Elite Sports New York and the Long Island Herald. He can be found on Twitter @Jwmlb1.
